LOCALITY

INFORMATION

Sliema and the coastline up to neighbouring St Julian's constitute Malta's main coastal resort. It is a centre for shopping, restaurants and cafè life. Sliema is also a major commercial and residential area and houses several of Malta's most recent hotels. Sliema, literally meaning a place of `peace', was once a quiet fishing town on the peninsula across Grand Harbour from Valletta. The town began to develop rapidly in the early 20th century as a summer resort for wealthier Valletta residents. Their elegant villas and town houses line the quiet, inland streets. The Sliema promontory offers on one side stunning views across to Valletta and on the other, open sea views. The promenade, which runs for several kilometres from Gżira just south of Sliema to St Julian's, is ideal for walking and jogging. There are plenty of seats along the promenade and on summer evenings the seafront becomes a sociable meeting place for locals. The coastline has two tower fortifications: a De Redin watch tower built in the 17th century; the other was built by the British in neo-gothic style in the 1880s.